The IEEE Storage System Standards Working Group Physical Volume Repository

The author describes the current status of the Physical Volume Repository (PVR) development and some of the issues that the PVR subcommittee is studying. The PVR, a module of the IEEE Mass Storage System Reference Model, is responsible for managing removable media volumes stored at a single location. Its architecture is that of a server which provides either manual or automated removable media services to clients using a client-server model. The primary client of the PVR is a Physical Volume Library, but the model does not impose restrictions on the number or nature of clients of the PVR. Several abstractions are used in the model to encapsulate the manufacturer-specific access to physical devices that handle media, so that clients are presented with a device-independent, logical interface